Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the Vampire slayer or Angel or any other characters, except for Eric and Angela. The rest belong to the legendary Joss Whedon

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"So, how is college?"

Buffy had come over to visit Joyce out of the blue. Joyce did not mind, but Buffy's place was still horded with the Gallery supplies.

"Great, it's great." Buffy replied. "And mom, I can take the couch."

"Oh, thank God."

"Mom"

"Hmmm?"

"You know that I love you right?" Buffy asked her voice unsure.

"Of course honey." Joyce brought her daughter closer. "What makes you ask me that? Of course I love you."

"So, you are not disappointed in me?" Buffy asked like a lost child "Cuz you know I was not exactly the poster child. I mean getting expelled and problems with classes I…"

"No don't say that Buffy." Joyce stopped Buffy's ramblings. "You are not a disappointment. You are a good daughter, and you have a great responsibility, a responsibility you handle with so much dedication. You make me proud."

"I love you mom, I love you." Buffy sobbed hugging Joyce tightly. "Please don't ever forget that. No matter what please don't forget me."

Joyce hugged Buffy back. Something was bothering her daughter, but she had no idea what? She was constantly worrying about her daughter, knowing that each day might be her last. Joyce wanted a good and relatively stable life for Buffy. That is why she had asked Angel to leave. Because Buffy deserved some shred of normalcy in her life. But now she was not so sure.

When Angel left, Buffy did not necessarily seem to be any different, but as a mother she could see the changes.

While the Buffy before had a lustful zest for life. She now was serene and mature. While it was true that she still hung out with her friends, and did all the things a girl her age should do, it was only when her friends asked her to. She had stopped taking the initiative when it came to "having fun". And seemed to prefer being by herself. Most importantly she had lost the previous sparkle in her eyes.

While her mother was worrying about her, Buffy was trying her level best not to tell her mother about her pregnancy. Buffy knew Joyce disliked Angel, and would immediately put the blame on him. Also she did not want to tell her about the prophecy. Joyce already had a hard time wrapping her head around Buffy's slayer duties; she did not need to know about her untimely granddaughter being on a hit list.

"I'm going to go to bed mom." Buffy said releasing Joyce from her clasp. "Kinda tired."

"Sure, sweet dreams honey."

It was around three when Buffy quietly got up. She slowly crept up the stairs and approached her mother's room. Joyce was in deep sleep, but Buffy waited by the door for a while to be certain. Few minutes had gone by when Buffy made her way in. She walked to the cache and pocketed all the cash.

"Goodbye mother! I hope you can forgive me" Buffy whispered and left.

Spike was standing at a corner of Rest field cemetery and was surrounded by two suitcases, a backpack and a briefcase. He was getting impatient, when he saw a petite figure walking towards him.

"About time slayer!"

"Don't call me that!" Buffy hissed.

"Alright alright, you got everything?"

"Yeah, lets get going."

Buffy had decided to start anew. She was going to leave Sunnydale and become someone else. Curiously and to Buffy's annoyance spike had decided to tag along. Worst part she could not tell him no as he had the upper hand, knowing all of her secrets. So Buffy was letting him come. Besides having a little super power by the side could not be bad.

Buffy had told Spike she would be leaving town. He had never thought she would do it, but again she had surprised him. How she was going to manage? Spike had no bleeding idea. He had tried to convince her otherwise. The only reason the Scoobies had not killed him was because of Buffy and as soon as Buffy was out of the picture it would take no time for him to be kicked out to the curb. Also the vampire community would reject him, so he would be pretty much homeless.

Hence, the convincing. But the bloody slayer was stubborn as hell!

So here he was going along for the ride.

"Are you sure pet"?" Spike asked again.

"Yes I am sure" Buffy answered determined.

"Okay" Spike complied putting the bags in his Desoto. "Where to?"

Buffy took a deep breath. "First destination- LA."

BA BABABA BA...BA BABABABA

Anne did not have many good friends. A bunch of homeless people depending on her? Sure. But friends, only some. One of these friends was Buffy. Buffy had saved her from the clutches of hell, gave her a home and a new name. And now Buffy needed her help. Well it was Gunn's help really, but still.

"Yo, Anne! When is she coming?" Gunn yelled.

"Should be here with in the hour."

"You did tell her to be at the shelter right?"

"Of course I did. I am not stupid" Anne scoffed.

"Sorry, just been a while. I am just so pumped to see her. Man, it's been almost two years."

"Yeah, but I wonder what she needs help with." Anne mused. "Besides she said she is in college and it's the middle of the year.'

"Who gives a damn? Point is she is coming. I really hope she can show me some new tricks on dusting vamps. God that girl is like a storm when in a fight."

"God you are smitten."

'Not as much as Allona. But god damn she is one fine lady."

"Too bad she didn't give you the time of the day." Anne smirked.

"What can I say; I am a one man woman."

Gunn and Anne turned around to see their friend and savior standing by the door.

"Anne! Good to see you girl." Gunn said embracing Buffy and lifting her up in the air in the process.

"Bu… Anne, how have you been?"

"Good I have been good," Buffy said hugging Anne.

Buffy and Anne were talking when Gunn saw a bleached blonde Billy idol wannabe standing outside the door looking slightly exasperated.

"Is that a friend of yours?"

"What?" Buffy looked around to Spike.

"Oh yeah, he's a friend," Buffy frowned a little, "I think."

"Well then come on in." Anne said politely.

"Oh no I don't think" Buffy started unsure.

"Relax pet, its not like I'm going to bite them" Spike smirked

"That's what you say" Buffy murmured.

"So what brought you here college girl?" Anne questioned.

"I'm not a college girl anymore."

"What?" Gunn asked excited, "Good for you, we don't need no college in our line of work."

"Not a vampire hunter either." Buffy stated.

"You're joking. Please tell me your joking."

Buffy looked at him with an apologetic look in her face. "No I'm not, and that is the reason I need your help."

"But why?" Anne questioned. "Did something happen?"

Anne did not now the reason Buffy had fled here to the city of Angels almost two years ago. But she knew that something had happened, something bad. The few days she had stayed in LA after the over deal in the hell dimension, Buffy had been too distant for a seventeen year old. But later it had seemed like Buffy had put the past behind her. She had helped Anne set up the shelter, had introduced her to Gunn and had given her whatever money she had before returning to Sunnydale. But now she seemed to be losing herself again. Anne could not imagine what could have gone wrong this time.

"What do you need?" Gunn's' voice came, breaking through Anne's musings.

"A new identity. Name, social security everything."

"That's a lot of work."

"Can you do it?"

"For both of you?" Gunn questioned pointing at Spike.

"Hell no!" Spike gritted out dangerously. "You keep your paws off my name."

"I can get it done but it might take a few days." Gunn said rolling his eyes at Spike. "You want your name to be Anne. I know it ain't your real name."

"No, not Anne, too conspicuous."

"Alright then, I'll just let Matt do his magic and come up with something."

"O' Shea." Buffy whispered.

"What?"

"O' Shea, can you make that my last name?" Buffy asked making Spike scoff. It was Angel's last name as a human. Figures she would want that name.

"I will see what I can do."

"You have no idea what this means to me." Buffy said gratefully.

Meanwhile in Sunnydale.

It was morning and Giles was in a particularly good mood. That was until he saw his broken and empty cash locker.

"Bloody hell!"

Few hours later…

"Any news?"

"Nada" Xander answered morosely. "Joyce's house was pretty much in the same condition, except a bit cleaner."

"What did the note say again?" Willow questioned for the hundredth time.

"Hearing it again won't change the contents Will."

"I know… I know, I just don't understand what happened." Willow said half exasperated. "I should have known something was wrong…"

"Willow, it's not your fault"

'No it is", Willow insisted, "I should have known, I was her friend her roommate, I should have paid more attention. But no I was too busy with my life. I am… I am a bad friend."

"Willow there is no point blaming now." Giles pointed out. "We need to focus on finding her. Besides, no matter why she left, she should have known we would be there for her."

"Yeah, but this is Buffy. Last time she left, it was because of Angel"

"Yeah but we all know that dead boy is alive and kicking , except for the alive part."

"Yeah, he is fine" Willow affirmed. "He is going to look around as well."

"Well she will come back though, sooner or later, she has to, I mean everything else aside, she is still the slayer."

BA BABABA BA...BA BABABABA

Buffy had been staying in LA for two days and had kept a low profile, knowing that it was Angel's town, and that he was bound to know about the disappearance. Buffy was staying with Anne in the newly founded shelter, till she got a new ID.

Buffy was sitting on her bed doodling in her diary when she heard Anne call her.

"Hello Miss O' Shea."

Buffy saw Anne and Gunn standing by the door with identical grins on their faces.

"It's done?"

'It's done." Gunn answered. He then took Buffy by her hand and pulled her up.

"I present to you Elizabeth O' Shea, age 22 and a bachelor in physical education from UCLA."

So how was it? Next chapter should be up pretty soon. Till then

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